Thursday, August 31, 2006

I am not feeling very good today... anxiety mixed with a little tiredness makes for a panic attack, so that is kind of where I am at today... either that or I am getting the flu. Just be praying for me and that God would give me a little of that peace that passes all understanding. Thanks faithful blog readers.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

I went down to my old high school today to visit my choir teacher, Shryock, and drama teacher, Chez... It was lots of fun seeing them. I of course broke out the song books filled with broadway show tunes and proceeded to sing at the top of my lungs accompanied by Shryock on piano. It was a blast. the acoustics in the choir room are awesome and similar to that of singing in the shower... I sounded okay... like a rock star according to Shryock, which means a lot coming from him. He said in his current choir there really are no belters, so I was happy to ablige him a high "E" or two... I miss it... singing concert style. I sing in church and in my car of course... but I wish I had a venue to get all the rest of my singing out... at least a good karaokee bar.Also got to see Chez, and I talked to him breifly before he rushed off to the auditions for the fall play... another thing I deeply miss... live theater... sigh... someday, maybe again.

I also tried for Wicked tickets again... nothing... it is just not in the cards for me. I'll see it eventually I know...

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

I got some sad news recently concerning my favorite band Nickel Creek. I guess they would fall into the bluegrass category, but they are also amazing. Anyways they announced yesterday that they will be taking an indefinite break as a band at the end of 2007 in order to pursue separate ventures... which means that we won't be hearing any new stuff from them for quite some time if ever again.

They all have separate projects that are taking off now - Sean has a new solo album, Sara is pursuing touring with other groups, and Chris has his 4th album hitting stores in a couple of weeks... oh yeah, I kind of have a crush on chris... aside from being amazingly talented, he is so cute! His tendencies to allude to Lord of the Rings and Tolkein in his song titles, makes me love him even more.

Anyways I got to see them in concert last december and even got to meet them back stage... and after the show Kendra and I got to talk to them again out by their tour buses. I hope they can come tour this way again before they dissipate. For now I will make do listening the beautiful sounds of the fiddle, guitar, bass, and the most beautiful instrument in the entire world... the mandolin.

Let us all have a moment of silence for Nickel Creek... and the mandolin.

Some pictures of the band and myself...

The one of Chris and I (top right) is our engagement picture... yeah he just doesn't know it yet... =)

So I am sitting at home after a semi-relaxing day. I only taught one class today and since I don't have to do office hours yet, I got to sleep in... shawn and Nicole came over for lunch... then I headed off to work, taught the class, which went pretty well... I came home, had dinner... and my dad, tyler, and I went to see the movie Invincible. It was awesome. Amy always talks about how sports movies make her cry and get all misty... and I totally relate to her in that. This movie did not fail me... neither did Marky Mark (minus the funky bunch). He was marvelous... the football scenes were exciting, I actually caught myself holding back from flying out of my seats with cheers... oh yeah, I am NOT a big sports person - except when it comes to movies. I recommend seeing it!

Now I am home, and I am indulging in my new obsession - youtube.com. I have discovered that you can find some great stuff on here. My favorite is the clips from stage performances of musicals. I am currently watching a documentary on Harry Connick Jr. and his process as a musician. He is one talented guy... not just a pretty face... no sir. I think after this ends I will look for old clips of the stage production of "Sunday in the Park with George" the musical. I miss performing music, like in choir in high school. I have discovered such great music that I would love to sing somewhere. I think I may have to head down to my old choir teacher's classroom and sing some stuff - have an old fashion piano party... just to get it out.

So I have a pretty open day tomorrow as well... I am debating having another go at trying to get wicked tickets... I teach in the morning and then the rest of the day is mine... I may take the afternoon to run errands, go shopping, something like that.

I'm house-sitting this weekend in town (AKA Phoenix)... it is a beautiful house, and I am looking forward to having the weekend to lounge around their awesome pool... I need to work on my tan to carry me over into the fall.

I leave you with a picture of Amy and I that Amy took this past weekend at Denny's... she always takes the best pictures of me... I appear semi attractive in this one...

Sunday, August 27, 2006

So I am making this Cd for my younger brother Tyler... it is partially a be-lated B-day present for him (his birthday was in March- I know I am a horrible sister). It also is kind of a present for me as well... in a round-about way. Let me explain... Tyler is a wonderful singer... which is not uncommon in my freakishly-musically-inclined family... and this is his senior year in choir. He is a tenor and from what I hear, he is the best in choir - the theory that the youngest child in the family is the coolest is proven true in my family. Anyways he sings at the top of his lungs in his room ALL THE TIME! The problems that accompany that are the fact that he will do it all night unless I yell for him to shut up so I can get some sleep... the other problem is that he sings the same songs over and over again. So I was talking to Amy about all this, and she sparked the idea to make him a CD of all the songs from musicals that he can sing... give him options to switch it up, and I'll ensure they are songs enjoy listening to... So I am making him a CD.

Tracks so far (these can be changed if I find better songs...)

Who Am I? - Les MiserablesShiksa Goddess - Last Five YearsEmpty Chair at Empty Tables - Les MiserablesWhy God Why? - Miss SaigonKing of the World - Songs for a New WorldYour Song - Moulin Rouge*On the Deck of Spanish Sailing Ship 1942 - Songs for a New WorldHey There - Pajama GameThe Music of the Night - Phantom of the OperaFortune Favors the Brave - AidaOne Song Glory - RentShe Cries - Songs for a New WorldMoving too Fast - Last Five Years*What You Own - RentHigh Flying Adored - Evita*One the Street Where you Live - My Fair LadyFinishing the Hat - Sunday in the Park with GeorgeSuppertime - You're a Good Man Charlie Brown*Elaborate Lives - AidaAgony - Into the WoodsNo More - Into the woods*

* Songs I am still debating...

Amy I am hoping you can come up with more... and anyone else out there let me know of songs to add for Tyler... I guess they don't have to be musical theater songs... but he does enjoy a good belting song. So send your ideas.

Thanks

P.S. Amy... do you have the CD for South Pacific with Harry Connick Jr.?

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Amy and I set out this evening in hopes of procuring tickets to Wicked by entering a lottery... basically if you show up to Gammage 2.5 hours before the show then you are entered into a drawing to win the chance to purchase orchestra seats for only $25. Amy and I never actually thought we would get the tickets, but we needed to try. We entered our names into the caldron (fitting), sat and waited, and then stood anxiously as they called out the winners. It was actually quite entertaining watching people get called... some cheered, some hooted, and then the last person to be called (oh yeah we didn't get the tickets) was so excited it made my heart stop... I swear this girl screamed at a decibel level that I had never beheld... but she wasn't even the funny part... her friend who was with her (male and flamboyant) screamed to the heavens "Thank you Jesus"... it was one of the more funny things I have ever witnessed. They were near tears, I felt I was witnessing the girl get crowned Miss America instead of being given tickets to a broadway show... ah priceless.

Anyway, Amy and I picked up the pieces of our disappointed hearts and walked down mill to Caffe Boa (delicious italian cuisine) and then drove home and watched Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which Amy had never seen and enjoyed... it's one of my favorites. It was a good night and eventful to say the least. I will have dreams tonight about that girl's scream and subsequent cry to Jesus from her friend... it was haunting. I think I may try again this week to go down there and enter my name again... why not... it took a total of maybe 20 minutes.... and I could have a chance to see Wicked!!!

I am listening to the soundtrack to the Pajama Game starring Harry Connick Jr... gosh I love that man.

I have a headache... Amy says it is from watching the movie in the dark, I think it is from her poisonous cilantro pasta... I hate cilantro with the fire of a thousand suns. So I am off to bed.

Friday, August 25, 2006

I went to such a great concert tonight... it was at One Place in downtown Phoenix, which is a great venue if I must say... they had good lighting and sound mixing, as well as a clean floor that your are not afraid to sit or even stand on - which are the criteria that I judge goodness. Obadiah Parker played which I have mentioned them before in a previous blog, and Joel Thompson also played who is a friend of mine from church. I have heard Joel play and as always he did and excellent job... I was sad because I was standing outside in line while he was playing my favorite song about "math". Obadiah Parker came on next and they blew me away... I have heard their music before and have watched them play a song or two at Amy and Andrew's wedding, but tonight I was stunned at how incredible they are. I hope they go all the way with their music, because it is really good stuff. Obadiah Parker is a trio of musicians - Mat Waddle who plays acoustic guitar and sings (awesome voice), Jessie Young who plays keyboard (she also has a wonderful voice), and Daniel Zehring plays bass (awesomely) and also sings harmonies. Together they are just excellent. I encourage you guys to check them out! Both Joel and Obadiah Parker have myspace pages...

I also went to Denny's with Amy, Andrew, and some of Andrew's friends from work. Denny's never sits well with me so I am sitting hear with a wholly expected stomach ache... but will I stop going to Denny's... never!

I had my first staff meeting at work today... they want me to start coming to them now, so I can be apart of planning for next quarter... then we had an open house so people could come into our school and have a look around... I spent the time grading papers and talking to the 6 year old son of one of my students who is super cute and rattled on and on about X-men. he wanted to come home with me by the time we were done describing every x-men we could both come up with... I then went to Joann's with my mom to scope out there huge sale on scrapbooking stuff... too bad all the stuff I bought won't be used for a while, because I have nothing to scrap at the moment. I spent over $20 though... really great stuff. all 12x12 paper is only 16 cents... cool huh!

Then I came home and my iPod had arrived... it is charging right now because it had absolutely no battery power what-so-ever. I did find out that you cannot have an refurbished iPod engraved... so all the quotes you gave me are awesome, but were not used. On the up side I have tons of cool titles and quotes for scrapping pages.

Now I am off to a concert tonight. Obadiah Parker is playing tonight and I decided to attend... should be fun!

Tomorrow night I may go see Wicked. Amy and I are going to stand in line at Gammage and eneter a raffle to get tickets to the show... think optimistic thoughts for us!

Oh, and it's my mom and dad's 27th anniversary today... they are so cute! I am so proud to have parents who have stayed together so long, and who are still so crazy about each other... they have created such a safe protective home for my brothers and I. I feel privilaged to have them for examples of a healthy marriage and Godly love.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

It is a sad day for miniature solar system models everywhere... the world has asked us to rip Pluto down as it is no longer considered a planet as of this morning... to tell you the truth, he was always my favorite... I think it is because he was the underdog, the long shot, the dark horse. Everyone always doubted his right to play among the titans of our solar system, and today the world said he didn't have what it takes... he was beaten... but not forgotten. Let us all never forget that Pluto was once a one of "the nine". And keep him close in your heart as he struggles through this new identity he has been forced into... that is all.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

I was in a comfort food state of mind last night an on my way home from work stopped for some delicious treats... I am a sweet and salty kind of gal so along with my pint of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food (I actually prefer Marsha Marsha Marshamallow, but they were out), I purchased my all time favorite snack food - Sunflower seeds. I have severe TMJD because of these little beauties and because I can down an entire bag within the length of a movie (I sneak them into theaters). I inherited the taste from my dad... I only eat Frito Lay brand because David's are too salty and not as big of seeds.... they are my happy food. Yum.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

I am ordering my new iPod and I want to get it engraved with a really cool quote on the back... it can't be very long only two lines of words... but I am having trouble deciding on a quote to use... I want something really cool... I have a few in mind from different movies and books I have read. I don't want anything too deep and I don't really want a verse, just something that is close to my heart and means something to me... it can even be funny. I want something that inspires adventure, or fantasy, or adventure... make sense? I am enlisting all your help... I would love for all of you to send me some quotes... or comment on your feelings about the ones below...

Ones I have thus far:

"The Road goes ever on and on..." - Tolkien"Not all who wander are lost." - Tolkien"When will you realize, Vienna waits for you." - Billy Joel"Second star to the right and straight on till morning" - JM Barrie"There's no knowing where you might be swept off to." - Tolkien"Think of a wonderful thought." - Peter Pan"When you wish upon a star..." - Disney"A dream is a wish your heart makes." - Disney"Defying Gravity" - Wicked

Saturday, August 19, 2006

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ioKEDgnfs8 (making it a link doesn't work... it's the old cut and paste method for you)

This is a video of a friend on a friend doing a cover of "Hey Ya" by outkast... it is huge on the internet... and to think, I sort of know this guy. The band is Obadiah Parker... and pay attention because they are really going places... plus this is just an awesome cover.

I had the afternoon to putz around the house... so I decided to clean out the bathroom cabinet that I share with my brother Tyler... I organized it and discovered that Tyler has 6 sticks of deoderant... all different brands. I don't know why a boy would need 6 sticks, but there they are.

I have now put on a movie and have moved my computer to the scrapbook table I have set up and I am scrapping... and now blogging about scrapping. I put the finishing touches on the pages I did about the kids I nanny for... Simon and Adelen (Addy).

Simon is 5 years old and finished his first 2 weeks of Kindergarten. He is the sweetest little boy. What a personality too. He reminds me of the little boy from the movie love actually. Everything is said so dramatically and the things that come out of his mouth are endlessly entertaining. He loves any kind of truck, especially monster trucks and he also loves bugs... in the pictures he is combining the 2 by digging for bugs in my mom's front garden with dump trucks. I enjoy hours of pretend and imaginative games with him. We will find bugs in his yard and name them and create homes for them complete with wall art originals by Simon himself. yesterday he was a snake that could talk to Addy and I, as well as chase us around the front room.

Adelen is 2 years old and hilariously funny. She recently met my puppy Koda and now drives everyone crazy walking around saying "Koda, Koda, Koda, Koda..." She is so cute and enjoys nothing more than to take my purse, shoes, and cell phone upon my arrival at her house and spend the rest of the day walking around talking on the phone (most of the time it is Koda)and rattling off nearly decripherable sentences about everything and anything. She loves Max Lucado videos about Hermie the caterpillar and the Wiggles (they creep me out) and her favorite song by far is the "doggie song" (medley of "how much is that doggie in the window" and "O where, o where has my little dog gone"). She also like songs I will make up about Koda and her and their many adventures. She is sweet and so smart.

Friday, August 18, 2006

I had one of those nights where I wanted nothing better than to curl up on the couch, ice my nearly broken toe big toe (a table fell on it), and turn on a mindless entertaining movie, and relax. I have had a full day of nannying and a massage client. So I was ready to unwind, but instead I spent a good hour wandering around my house (ice strapped to the toes, mind you) with Tyler searching for a movie to watch. I swear we have over 100 movies in our home (we are a movie family... it is how we all choose to unwind), and yet I couldn't pick a movie... we even stuck in the Patriot, thinking we had finally found the right movie... and within 3 minutes we were bored... also because Mel Gibson freaks me out, and now I find it hard to watch movies with him - it's the Tom Cruise syndrome. Do you all ever have those times when you just CANNOT decide something... I even came up with finalist movies only to throw them back on the shelf because I just couldn't make a decision... I hate those times... I usually give up long before I make a decision... or I waste time and by the time I make the decision it is too late and I have no time to follow through.... AHH.

So Tyler, after laughing his head off at me and my frustration and broken toe, and the fact that I was home alone on a Friday night with no plans, he finally gave up and retreated to his room to await his friend to pick him up to go bowling. Which left me to fend for myself with cable television. I watched part of a made for TV movie starring Mark Paul Gosselaar, part of a biography on Joan Crawford... sad woman, and Freaky Friday with Lindsay Lohan on the Disney Channel. ugh... please don't judge me for my lame existance.

I am off to bed, looking forward to tomorrow when I do actually have plans. My toe really hurts... even when it doesn't move it throbs.

P.S. My iPod is fried... the Mac Geniuses at the Apple store frowned at me and told me I have to buy a new one... in a couple paychecks I will have enough to buy a refurbished one possibly... but until then... no music in the car for me.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

After none of you commented about my reading choices, I was left to my own vices to determine what to do and which book to read... decision: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire... I know, I know I have read it twice already, but I think finishing that book will build the momentum to finish the other books faster... so that is what I am going to do... more than likely I will be finished with the book in a week anyways.

Onto other info... my parents are rather disappointed that although they have made these wonderful blogs, I have shown no recognition of them at all... so here they are:

My mom - She has been relating different stories from her life... and if you have ever heard my mom tell a story, she is amazingly funny and the fact that she grew up in Wisconsin on a dairy farm should be enough reason to listen to her. She is witty, entertaining, relational, and so funny... check her out.

My dad - he is an incredible muscian and song writer. he also has survived over 20 years of Ministry and he's awesome at it... He has supported our family for those 20 years doing full-time ministry. He is wise, clever, eloquent, and artistic... check him out too.

Those are my parents for you. I could spend more of this blog writing about and relating who they are and what they mean to me... but for right now, I'll let them do that for me... visit their blogs.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

I just watched video of Norbert Leo Butz on YouTube.com from his many broadway shows... including Last Five Years, Wicked, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Why you ask would I dedicate minutes to such viewing... well besides my obvious deep-rooted passion for Musical Theater... well it has a little something to do with the fact that I will be attending a performance of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Gammage auditorium in a little less than a month from now. The wonderul-ness of it all is that Norbert will be performing in his tony award winning role in that very same show in Tempe Arizona... I will be seeing Norbert... and I LLLLUUUUVVVV Norbert! He is an amazing singer and performer. I am super excited... I encourage you to check him out and understand my love for him and his voice!

Okay... so it isn't a full day - I have to work tonight, but I have had this whole day to myself, to do as I will. I enjoyed a morning of Princess Diaries 2 on TV... it was on the WAM station (ch 139). Then I stumbled upon a Roswell marathon on the Si Fi channel. I have been thinking about it for the http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifpast few days, since Shawn (my brother) mentioned it on his blog. Now I got to catch a few episodes!

I watch 1 1/2 episodes before I went out to lunch with my friends Jenna and Chris... Jenna is in town for the weekend before she heads back to school. so I enjoyed time with them. Here is a picture of Jenna, Chris and I from two years ago:

It is always so much fun when I spend time with them. We use to have a family game night every so often, but now that we are all older and spread out around the country, it is harder to schedule with them. But they are a blast when we do have them. I am going to have to plan one here soon. We usually play board games (ie Cranium, Wizard of Oz Monopoly, Scategories, or Pop Culture Trivial Pursuit)... but it really is just an opportunity for a bunch of us to get together and stay in touch. I recomend everyone to have a group of friends to play board games with... it is awesome!

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

I feel like you have all been waiting with bated breath... but never fear Macs always pull through in the end... I think the little guy (which I have yet to name... yes, I name all things!) had a big day yesterday with installations and memory convertion and all types of computer doodads, that is just didn't want to turn on this morning... but I poked here, and prodded there and now he is working just fine. Thanks for all the prayers and support thru my difficult time... hehe

Onto less trivial blogging subjects:I am teaching two classes today... (~apathetic yay~). Did I mention I am a massage instructor at the Arizona School of Massage Therapy. I teach Structural Bodywork (similar to rolfing, if you've heard of that) - it works to adjust structual imbalances in the body, also Reflexology (the feet), Movement (corrects movement patterns, ie walking, standing, etc), and Professional Development (I basically encourage the students that they can be massage therapists and help them with how, ie resumes, interviews, book keeping, inspiration, etc). I really am enjoying it and it has been one of my goals since graduating to get this job... it happened rather fast I must say... gosh I am only 21! But it is a real grown up job!

So, I am a read-aholic, just so you know... but right now I am in a slump. I love books, but I am currently hashing my way through two books ("Ivanhoe" and "Walk to Moons"), but to no avail. I am just not motivated to pick either of them up... but I have a whole book list to get through... recomendations from friends... and so I need to get through these to move on. You know what I would really love to read?... Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire or Lord of the Rings the fellowship of the ring... but I shouldn't because it will be the 3rd time reading Harry Potter 4 and the 2nd time reading LOTR. But, as I look at the books of my shelf I get excited about reading them... and maybe they would help re-ignite my reading frenzie, and then I could get back to Ivanhoe and Walk two Moons. But maybe I should just suck it up and read them... thoughts? Comments?

Monday, August 14, 2006

It finally came.. my new MacBook laptop! I wasn't expecting it for another week or so, but low and behold it came early!!! YIPPIE! I have spent the afternoon setting it up with my dad... we even went and bought more memory. I never thought I could love an inatimate object so much... but I honestly love this little laptop more than anything in my room right now! It's just so cute! It also is the duel core processor (runs both OSX and Windows) it also has a DVD burner... gosh I will have fun with that! So that is the excited news for today!

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Edi is my car (turqoise dodge shadow... yeah they don't make those anymore)... I recently replaced the radiator, in the past I replaced the computer, and now the air conditioning has decided to fail me! He is a good car... but he is dieing and I am merely keeping him on life support till I decide to buy a new car.

I went to church this morning and then came home... and now I am sitting at my computer with an entire day ahead of me, with nary a plan in store for the day... that is what stinks about living in Tempe when all your friends live in Phoenix: a half hour drive and 25 miles of gas and no air conditioning away. In about 5 months I am hoping to live out in Phoenix, close to my friends and church and then, hopefully, my social life will pick up!

I went to a baby shower yesterday for a friend from high school... I got to see a lot of people from high school that I hadn't seen in a while, and a number of them are also pregnant or had just had their baby... it was super crazy to see people my age starting families and raising kids... it made me feel old. Holly is due next month and she is a super cute pregnant lady... I hope I am that cute when I am 8 months pregnant. I seem to be surrounded by marriage and babies and everything, and at the moment I am in in life, I feel excited that I am single and not tied down... I have plans to travel and go back to college, and I have this great Massage career starting... As much as I would love to be in love and a mother... all that can wait. I have too many adventures to go on... too many dreams to fulfill...

This picture is an example of the millennia old problem - "like mother, like daughter"... my mom and I... enjoy

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Like myspace before it, this is my new venture into online journaling... here we go.

I have been recently thinking about things that make me happy... I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of recalling those places, times, food, events, and feelings that have brought joy to my heart. They are the things that make me feel safe... places that awaken my heart and feed my soul... sounds, tastes, and textures that bring me home - a home I know beyond walls and roofs, one that is found surpassing those things. It is fun to dwell on these things, because along with remembering them, I begin to feel the joy all over again... and who doesn't like joy? So I thought I would share these things with you and to inspire you to begin creating your own list. Here are a few: